Spring-finger tool for tire-building machines.



Y W KEARNS.

SPRING FINGER TOOL FOR-TIRE BUILDING MACHlNES.

APPL'ICATION FILED NOV. 28. I914.

' 1,162,072. Patented Nov. 30. 1915.

Widmmu: William Kearns, (1mm wto c nniran snares rarnnr cur os.

WILLIAM KEARNS, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSI GNOR T0 MORGAN 85 WRIGHT, A

. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

SPRING-FINGER TOOL FOR TIRE-BUILDING MACHINES.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

Application filed November 28, 1914. Serial No. 874,373.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM KnARxs, a

such a manner as to remove inequalities in the surface thereof.

In the manufacture of tires it is customary to employ a revoluble ring core upon which 1 the tire is built from successive layers of rubber treated fabric pressed to conform 11'1- timately' to the configuration of the core.

The present invention provides a hand tool adapted to operate upon the surface of the tire thus formed and to smooth out inequalities and to press the layers into more intimate association with each other, the tool being without any automatic control whatever, but wholly manipulated by hand, so that flexibility ofoperation in adapting the tool tothe needs of the tire will be assured.

lVit-h the above objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the, appended claims. In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view showing the tool in one operative position; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the tool; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the working face of the tool; Fig. at is a sectional view showing 4 the construction of the spring fingers.

Referring now to-the drawing in which like charactersof reference designate similar parts, 10 designates a tire which is supported upon a ring core 11 of the usualtype, both being revoluble as zt'nnit on a horizontal axis in the usual manner.

In carrying out the invention I provide a smoothing and compacting tool. for the tire comprising a curved body 12 to the rear face of which is attached a handle 13 for manipulating the tool. The front face of the body is counterbored to receive springpressed fingers 1e arranged preferably in parallel rows as shown best in Fig. 2, the fingers of each row being set at such angle relative to each other that they extend radlillly with respect to the curvature of the body, which'latter, it may here be stated,

preferably conforms to the curvature of the curved face 15 ofv the core. Furthermore, the fingers of each row are staggered relative to the fingers of the next adjacent row, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby the operative or working area of the tool is enhanced.

The outward movement of each finger under thrust of its spring 16, is, regulated by set nuts 17 ,threaded upon the stem 18 of the finger and bearing against the rear face of the tool body. For preventing mutilation of the tire, 'an anti-friction ball 19 is countersunk in the end of each finger, the edge 20 of the countersink being crimped over the ball to rotatably confine the same in position. i

The tool above described is designed to be supported upon a steady tool rest 21, which is preferably curved to conform to the curved face of the core as best shown in Fig. 1, and presents its working face in a plane whichintersects the plane of the core at a right angle. i

In operation, the ringcore with the tir thereon, is rotated in the usual manner, downward, in a path past the tool rest. The

operator places the smoothing and compact ing toolupon the rest and-shoves forwardly upon the handle of thetool to force the balltipped fingers against the surface of the tire.

During rotation of the tire the fingers generate respective contiguous rings on the surface of the tire, thereby intimately attaching the various layers at points coincident with said rings. The tool is manually slid upon therest around the sides and crown of the tire, so that every point on the st;- face thereof will be operated upon. Since the fingers of each row extend radially with respect to the curved'surface of the body, they will operate when the tool is moved from the crown of the tire toward the toe portions thereof, to draw the layers radially from the crown of the tire toward'the toe portions, whereby creases and other wrinkles which may be formed in the tire during its manufacture, are smoothed out.

and a homogeneous tire,.devoid of wrinkles, produced.

It will be seen from the above descrip tion that I have provided a smoothing and compacting tool that is Without any automatic control Whatever, but wholly portable and manipulable by hand, so that flexibility of operation in holding the tool stationary at desired places where niostnecessary upon the tire, will be assured.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is:

1. A tire smoothing and compacting tool,

' embodying a support, a plurality of yield mg fingers thereon, and an anti rrictlon ball in the tip of each finger for contact with the surface of the tire. I

2. A tire smoothing and compacting tool,

embodying a support, a plurality of yielding fingers thereon, the fingers of each row being disposed radially-with respect to'the support and an anti-friction ball in the tip of each finger for contact with the tire.

4. A tire smoothing and compacting tool, embodying a support, rows of yielding fingers thereon, the fingers of each now being staggered relative to the lingers of the next adjacent row, and an anti-friction ball in.

the tip of each finger vfor contact with the tire.

5. Atire smoothing and compacting tool, embodying a support, a plurality 0t springpressed fingers carried thereby, means for regulating the outward movement of said fingers under thrust of the springs thereof, and an anti-friction ball in the tip of each finger for contact with the surface of the tire.

6. A tire smoothing and compacting tool, embodying a support adapted. to be manually moved in a plane intersecting the plane of the tire at a right angle, and a plurality of yielding fingers on the body, set at an angle to each other and each having a rounded tip for contact with the tire.

7. A tire smoothing and compacting apparatus, embodying a support adapted to be moved in a plane intersecting the plane of the tire at a right angle, a rest for said support, and a plurality of yielding fingers on the body, set at an angle to each other and each having a rounded tip for contact with the tire.

Signed at Detroit, county of lVa-yne, State oi Michigan, this 23rd day of November,

' WILLIAM KEARNS. t itnessesz JOHN CARLSON, J. H. SWIFT. 

